Why The Ravens Won't Make The Playoffs In 2008

[smitty]

I also think that The Ravens should have went after Bill Cowher as our head coach because he would have be a great fit for our Ravens and I still think this. I feel that if harbaugh has a loosing season this up coming year look for Bill Cowher to come in and coach in 2010. This is my predictions.

Bill Cowher made it known that he didn't want to leave broadcasting yet.... and unless bill parcells takes over the franchise then harbaugh will not be fired after one losing season. he's a rookie head coach and im sure they don't expect him to have a spectacular season right off the bat... they're hoping he does but they're not going to expect it. my prediction is that your prediction is wrong.

[theFRANCHISE]

Hmm...this is getting interesting...

Just throwing something out there:

As veteran coaches have said time-and-again, injuries are not a legitimate excuse for a championship-worthy team. A championship team is only as good as its depth.

(OK, so we know that first statement's really ambiguous and "darned if you do, darned if you don't" when it comes to our Ravens)

DISCUSS. (lol)

[ReED jucate]

Hmm...this is getting interesting...

As veteran coaches have said time-and-again, injuries are not a legitimate excuse for a championship-worthy team. A championship team is only as good as its depth.

This is a whole new thread but anyway. That is true for the most part - Pittsburgh had no excuse for doing so poorly in games just because they where missing Troy or Willie. But there is that breaking point of when a team is a shell of what it was and that was the Ravens. Yeah we shouldn't use it as an excuse but when it comes down to it it is the reason are season was so horrible. I think those veteran coaches where refferring to putting too much emphasis on one player. We had 21 starters out along with many 2nd and 3rd stringers too. Your team is going to have problems when your signing division II QB's to back up your 3rd string rookie and your converting practice squad linemen into tightends. Not one team suffered such drastic losses in a season as we did. We have great depth wich is the only reason we are not competeing with the dolphins for draft picks.

[MKdave]

As veteran coaches have said time-and-again, injuries are not a legitimate excuse for a championship-worthy team. A championship team is only as good as its depth.

Though that is a good point, you have starters and backups for a reason. We had injuries at almost every single position at some point this season.

And while depth is key, it defeats the object of parity if a team could field two teams (starters and backups) that were both 'championship worthy.'

backups aren't there to win championships, they're they to save your bacon when the going gets tough and someone goes down. so IMO, while injuries arent a legitimate excuse for a championship worthy team, it would be harsh to judge a team on such an injury ravaged season.

[theFRANCHISE]

I feel the injury issue is a chicken-and-egg scenario. ("Which came first - the chicken, or the egg?")

I mean, on one hand, there've been teams like the Colts who have fought through injuries and made it to the playoffs.

On the other hand, yes, it could also be argued that there was no team as injury-ravaged as the Ravens.

But, then, that also leads into a whole 'nother area where it could be argued that some of those injuries could've been lessened with better conditioning on the part of the players, more intense training camps, etc.

And again, there's no right or wrong answer, because it's still a chicken-and-egg scenario. Frankly, when it comes to the subject of excuses in general, it's damned if you do, damned if you don't. I mean, yes, championship teams aren't supposed to use excuses, period. And yet, they're THERE, and really are hard to deny.

[neepo13]

Yep, they're so much of a joke that they're the main source for sports information. Yes, the internet...it's called espn.com, the most collectively put together sports information ON THE INTERNET. *clap* You should be relating that last sentence to yourself, what makes you think that your opinion means **** when millions of people tune in to hear their ideas than the small portion of ravens fans that have the patience to hear your crap.

If the American colonist used your logic of thinking America would still be under British rule, nothing against the Brits just trying to make a point. The reason ESPN is so "popular" is because it is the only station of its kind that broadcasts all over the nation. Personally, I think some of the local sports stations and programming are of much higher quality but thats just my opinion. Like someone said ESPN is the MTV of sports. And they have a monopoly of sports news reporting because they dont have national competition. That does not make them any good.

[neepo13]

How are the steelers crumbling...making the playoffs...that's more than we can say. I think that's wishful thinking. And are they even changing that dramatically going into next season?

The Browns and the Bengals are offensive powerhouses, as long as they can outscore opponents d isn't really a problem, and since we lack all offense, I'd say our defense will most likely slip and give them the edge. Going into next season I'd say being winless within the division isn't that far of a stretch to say, unless our young offense proves me wrong, which i really hope they do.

Honestly, I give Cleveland props because they had a great year but the only "offensive powerhouse" in the AFC North is the Bengals because they are the only ones that do it year in and year out. Until the Browns can do that consistantly calling them an offensive power house is an overstatement.

[neepo13]

Hmm...this is getting interesting...

Just throwing something out there:

As veteran coaches have said time-and-again, injuries are not a legitimate excuse for a championship-worthy team. A championship team is only as good as its depth.

(OK, so we know that first statement's really ambiguous and "darned if you do, darned if you don't" when it comes to our Ravens)

DISCUSS. (lol)

I dont think the Ravens problem is a lack of depth because they only lack depth at the CB position. The problem with the Ravens was that they suffered alot of injuries and had to depend on rookies, 2nd and 3rd year players who for the most part had never started an NFL game before. You have to be a very special player to excel your first time on the football field in the NFL. SO, I guess what I am saying is after this year our depth issues, SHOULD fix its self. I am knocking on wood for that because I hope we dont have to find out whether it has fixed its self or not but with experience some of our backups should get better. Keep in mind that the only "backup" that actually had to fill in thats over the age of 30 and has been around for more then five seasons is Corey Ivy. The rest of them are early twenties, rookies, 2nd or third year guys.

[neepo13]

This is a whole new thread but anyway. That is true for the most part - Pittsburgh had no excuse for doing so poorly in games just because they where missing Troy or Willie. But there is that breaking point of when a team is a shell of what it was and that was the Ravens. Yeah we shouldn't use it as an excuse but when it comes down to it it is the reason are season was so horrible. I think those veteran coaches where refferring to putting too much emphasis on one player. We had 21 starters out along with many 2nd and 3rd stringers too. Your team is going to have problems when your signing division II QB's to back up your 3rd string rookie and your converting practice squad linemen into tightends. Not one team suffered such drastic losses in a season as we did. We have great depth wich is the only reason we are not competeing with the dolphins for draft picks.

Take Tom Brady, Asante Samual, Ben Watson or Randy Moss( since Heap is our best reciever), Ellis Hobbs, and Richard Seymour away from the Patriots for a season and see if they play well. Then have their LT playing injured for most of the season with 3 rookies and a second year player thats being converted from one position to another filling in on the offensive line while your veteran lineman are battling injuries. Have Brushci and Vrabal, playing injured most of the year. The Ravens got hit with a very unfortuanate series of events. True thats not an excuse and I dont think we should make it one but when you consider all that and the fact that they almost always managed to lose by less then a TD. Doubting the Ravens, to me, is a little silly.

[USF BULLS RAVEN]

You should be relating that last sentence to yourself, what makes you think that your opinion means **** when millions of people tune in to hear their ideas than the small portion of ravens fans that have the patience to hear your crap.

By your logic, a few Backstreet Boys CDs should be on a higher mantle than the Beetles. I am sure you will respond with another floundering personal attack and continue to dig yourself into a hole. This is the baltimoreravens.com messageboards, so any "crap" is pretty much welcomed, even if it is OMG TEH ESPN IS THE GREATEST evAr!!1

If it's Ravens talk, I'm down for it. We have the patience for next season and the patience to read almost every Ravens fan's "crap".

[Slick]

I really think this team is amazing, but i think there have been key problems holding us back. I don't want to even dwell on it, out with the old in with the new. Harbaugh's bringing some fire to the org and we got some serious talent in our staff at every level. If we get a QB that's it, game over, we win. I think a Troy Smith /QB draft stud combo might make for some seriously healthy and potentially deadly competition for the top spot. Our defense thrives when the offense takes charge namely because they get to rest. We need to sure up some D at the cb position, and hope the o-line mature over this offseason, which it very well could. Drafting a good strong wideout would complement the amazing arsenal we already have, but would mean cutting someone, so everyone would have to step up their game in training camp and see who comes out on top. I'm serious if this offseason goes well, we could be sexy by next year, no matter what our uniform's look like.

I transplanted this post but it fits here perfectly, I think we can most definately win the playoffs. TS handled the Steelers at about 95% so maybenext year with a little comp he can prove to be a stud.

[nevermore621]

Seriously, if we don't think that Harbaugh and the staff he is assembling, and the nucleus of a team we have in place, that made the playoffs last year is not prepared to do everything it can to win, then maybe we should go join another message board.

I understand the idea of raising a controversial subject to drive the debate, but this one kinda ticks me off for being mentioned in the first place. And another thread was started by MKDave to counter this one...I think it was unfortunate that it was merged into this negative one. That was a bad decision.

I have no problem stating unequivocably that this team will be a WINNING team next season, and will probably go AT LEAST 10-6 and make the playoffs...PERIOD!!!!

As the bumper sticker says, "B'lieve hon"

[theFRANCHISE]

I understand the idea of raising a controversial subject to drive the debate, but this one kinda ticks me off for being mentioned in the first place.

I have no problem stating unequivocably that this team will be a WINNING team next season, and will probably go AT LEAST 10-6 and make the playoffs...PERIOD!!!!

But can you say that you thought harder about the reasons WHY you think the team will make the playoffs, other than your support of the team?

If you can honestly answer, "YES, I thought a little harder about why the Ravens may be a legit playoff team as early as next season," then in the end, that's all that matters.

It's better to have people THINKING about things, rather than spurting out answers blindly. THAT'S what I meant by blind optimism.

I'd rather see fans demonstrate their knowledge of the team and have them understand WHY they say the things they say, rather than simply free-post and say something that doesn't contribute to the conversation.

[nevermore621]

I, personally don't think I am guilty of BLIND optimism. This same team demonstrated one season ago that it could go to the playoffs, and if we had run the offense right, I personally thought we could have won the Super Bowl. Let's face it, Indy won without even scoring a TD. If we had ANY OFFENSE AT ALL, which we lacked, WE could have been the team to go all the way, not Indy.

With all the postive coaching changes made this season, I believe we can put together a BETTER team, and go back to the playoffs.

Yeah, Franchise I think you DID definitely spur the debate here .

For some of us, the die hard fans (and you are one of us too, so don't get me wrong), it was like the sirens call to action/arms, setting our minds alert to all the reasons why WE WILL RETURN TO THE PLAYOFFS NEXT YEAR!!!!

[theFRANCHISE]

I, personally don't think I am guilty of BLIND optimism. This same team demonstrated one season ago that it could go to the playoffs, and if we had run the offense right, I personally thought we could have won the Super Bowl. Let's face it, Indy won without even scoring a TD. If we had ANY OFFENSE AT ALL, which we lacked, WE could have been the team to go all the way, not Indy.

With all the postive coaching changes made this season, I believe we can put together a BETTER team, and go back to the playoffs.

Yeah, Franchise I think you DID definitely spur the debate here .

For some of us, the die hard fans (and you are one of us too, so don't get me wrong), it was like the sirens call to action/arms, setting our minds alert to all the reasons why WE WILL RETURN TO THE PLAYOFFS NEXT YEAR!!!!

Just to add a little more fuel to the fire:

95% of the time, the team that doesn't allow a single TD scored will win the game.

That game was just the other 5%.

If anything, the playoff game should've showed us that the team would be snakebitten going into the 2007 season.

(That's for all you superstitious folks out there)

[Raven07]

lol....but that can only add more fuel to each of the player's fire to come back and play/perform hard, well, and at a continually high competitive level of team unity to bring their opponent down into defeat. and i think that with the new coaching staff coming in here, new outlook, new schemes that are going to be presented next season....can only instill a sense of hope from within all the hearts of all Raven Fans from all over and abroad....and in which is a sense or feeling that we should never let burn down and lose.

[ravensfan1996]

"I'd rather see fans demonstrate their knowledge of the team and have them understand WHY they say the things they say, rather than simply free-post and say something that doesn't contribute to the conversation. "

If you want that you should not even be posting on a forum!!! hahaha The whole reason forums exist is for simple free posting. THINKING????? you want inteligent conversation? youll need to join a club somewhere and meet at a library to discuss things. (sarcasm)

Anyway, In this day an age any team can make the playoffs the next year after even the worst season. The ravens arent a bad team, yes they were 5-11, but that same 5-11 team could have beat the Patriots. Once we have all the horses in the stable and a new offensive philosphy with the new head coach in place, I think we will be fine next year. we have the players to win, just need them healthy, yes one or 2 will go down, but not 8 or 9 like this year.